Data portability as a tool for audit

Pervasive systems are almost omnipresent in their collection andprocessing of personal data. Understanding what these systems ar edoing is essential for trust, and to ensure that data being collected are accurate. Auditing these systems can help to determine the accuracy of these data. Such audit may take place internally by systems designers, but external audit is important for accountability. In this paper we explore whether users can conduct their own external audit of the systems with which they interact. In particular, we use the Right to Data Portability afforded to data subjects through the General Data Protection Regulation. Using fitness trackers, we collect and upload running data to a set of data controllers. By using data portability to then obtain a copy of our data, we compare the data held by the controllers with our ground-truth data. We find some inaccuracies in the data, but also that audit can be impeded by insufficient explanations from data controllers.Postprin

Understanding Surface Structure and Interactions of Ionic Liquids for Energy Applications

Presented within this thesis are four studies into the structure and interactions of ionic liquids (ILs), using X- ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) both in situ and in vacuo, and using other complementary techniques. The findings provide insight into the surface chemistry and ordering of ILs, and are discussed in the context of energy applications. The water/hydrophilic IL interface was investigated using near-ambient pressure XPS (NAPXPS) using a multilayer IL system (~109 Å) and an ultrathin layer system (~10 Å) on TiO2 substrates. Results indicate rearrangement of the outermost ions as water molecules adsorb on the IL surface, primarily manifested as intensity changes in the C 1s core level region. The higher binding energy features, associated with the charged parts of the IL (i.e. the anion and the imidazolium ring of the cation) increase in intensity with exposure to water, which infers a reorientation of the cation toward the interface. Because the water molecules were able to adsorb on the IL surface for a significant period under vacuum, this may have negative implications for IL catalysis systems, as water may inhibit the absorption of gaseous reactants. The interactions between a superbasic IL and water/CO2 were investigated using NAPXPS. The reaction with CO2 forms carbamate, as evidenced by peaks in the N 1s core level region at the higher binding energy edge. The reaction is reversible by reducing the surrounding CO2 pressure. The results show that in each regime where the IL is exposed to CO2, the molar uptake ratio of CO2 molecules to IL pairs has an upper limit of 0.5. This indicates that the presence of water does not inhibit the IL’s ability to react with CO2 under near-ambient pressure conditions. Furthermore, it appears that the IL preferentially reacts with CO2 over water vapour. This has implications for gas capture and separation technology, where complex mixtures of gases, including CO2 and water, is released from industrial processes. The structure and interactions at the IL/polar ZnO and IL/non-polar ZnO interfaces were probed using a combination of XPS and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. Shifts in the core level XPS regions associated with the anion support the idea that the IL interacts more strongly with the polar ZnO than the non-polar ZnO. IL/substrate interactions are thought to be occurring at O-terminated step edges, which is a mechanism involved in other reactions on polar ZnO surfaces described in literature. As evidenced by the NEXAFS spectra, the imidazolium ring of the approximately submonolayer deposition on non-polar ZnO was found to orientate at an angle closer to the surface normal than the surface itself. This has important implications for solar cells, where molecular interactions at a surface can affect the charge transfer across the interface. The polar ZnO substrate appeared to somewhat catalyse IL decomposition at the surface, as determined by XPS measurements taken at different temperatures using an analogous IL on the same substrate. Signs of decomposition began to show at temperatures much lower than those in literature. This has consequences for solar cell applications, where thermal stability is important to maintain device longevity. The electrochemical influence of ILs on the anodization of Ti was investigated using an IL-based electrolyte, and varying anodization voltages between 5 V and 20 V. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that nanoporous TiO2, and TiO2 nanotubes were synthesised. The surface chemistry, determined by XPS, revealed a trend with anodization voltage, which may be linked to electrochemical decomposition of the IL. The introduction of contaminant species into TiO2 nanotubes has consequences for their application in photocatalytic water splitting, where contamination could inhibit their hydrogen production capabilities

How Do Students Enact Group Reasoning Within Online Interprofessional Education?

Background: The capability of an interprofessional healthcare team to reach a shared understanding through group reasoning is critical to good healthcare delivery. Models for clinical reasoning have proved useful but remain focused on individual cognitive processes. Whilst interprofessional education has steadily gained real-world traction, it is unclear how interprofessional student groups practice group reasoning when performing online tasks. Method: We analyzed the group reasoning processes with two teams of health professional students in an online interprofessional education task (n = 13). Two simulated interprofessional team meetings about a palliative case were audio recorded, transcribed, and deductively analyzed to determine the mechanisms of team deliberation using a previously published study of group reasoning.Results: The reasoning mechanisms outlined in a previous study (informationaccumulating, sense-making, and decision-making) were evident in an analysis of student group reasoning. In particular, students focused on sharing and agreeing on information, and to a lesser extent, recording information. Conclusion: Attention to the mechanisms of action may be useful to facilitate teaching interprofessional reasoning. Group reasoning may benefit from focusing student attention on these stages: 1) prioritizing and sequencing of options, methods for exposing agreement about shared information, shared understanding of the situation, and options; 2) techniques for critically evaluating information so that opportunities arise to identify when information may disrupt existing understandings; and 3) development of documentation tools to assist recording of the process

Reversible Reaction of CO2 with Superbasic Ionic Liquid [P66614][benzim] Studied with in Situ Photoelectron Spectroscopy

Ionic liquids (ILs) are of significant interest as CO2 capture agents, and one subgroup of ILs that has shown particular promise is that of superbasic ILs. They can absorb large quantities of CO2 in the dry state, but some will have a diminished CO2 capacity when prewetted. In the work presented here, the superbasic IL trihexyl-tetradecylphosphonium benzimidazolide, or [P66614][benzim], was exposed to 3 mbar of CO2, 2 mbar of H2O vapor, and a CO2 + H2O gas mixture and was investigated using near-ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show that the IL reacts with CO2 to form carbamate and that the reaction is reversible through reduction of the surrounding gas pressure. Regardless of whether the IL was exposed to CO2 or H2O vapor first, the presence of H2O under these experimental conditions does not significantly hinder the IL’s ability to absorb and react with CO2. Furthermore, the IL appears to preferentially react with CO2 over H2O vapor

Seismology in the cloud: guidance for the individual researcher

The commercial cloud offers on-demand computational resources that could be revolutionary for the seismological community, especially as seismic datasets continue to grow. However, there are few educational examples for cloud use that target individual seismological researchers. Here, we present a reproducible earthquake detection and association workflow that runs on Microsoft Azure. The Python-based workflow runs on continuous time-series data using both template matching and machine learning. We provide tutorials for constructing cloud resources (both storage and computing) through a desktop portal and deploying the code both locally and remotely on the cloud resources. We report on scaling of compute times and costs to show that CPU-only processing is generally inexpensive, and is faster and simpler than using GPUs. When the workflow is applied to one year of continuous data from a mid-ocean ridge, the resulting earthquake catalogs suggest that template matching and machine learning are complementary methods whose relative performance is dependent on site-specific tectonic characteristics. Overall, we find that the commercial cloud presents a steep learning curve but is cost-effective. This report is intended as an informative starting point for any researcher considering migrating their own processing to the commercial cloud

A Targeted<em> in Vivo</em> SILAC Approach for Quantification of Drug Metabolism Enzymes:Regulation by the Constitutive Androstane Receptor

The modulation of drug metabolism enzyme (DME) expression by therapeutic agents is a central mechanism of drug-drug interaction and should be assessed as early as possible in preclinical drug development. Direct measurement of DME levels is typically achieved by Western blotting, qPCR, or microarray, but these techniques have their limitations; antibody cross-reactivity among highly homologous subfamilies creates ambiguity, while discordance between mRNA and protein expression undermines observations. The aim of this study was to design a simple targeted workflow by combining in vivo SILAC and label-free proteomics approaches for quantification of DMEs in mouse liver, facilitating a rapid and comprehensive evaluation of metabolic potential at the protein level. A total of 197 peptides, representing 51 Phase I and Phase II DMEs, were quantified by LC-MS/MS using targeted high resolution single ion monitoring (tHR/SIM) with a defined mass-to-charge and retention time window for each peptide. In a constitutive androstane receptor (Car) activated mouse model, comparison of tHR/SIM-in vivo SILAC with Western blotting for analysis of the expression of cytochromes P450 was favorable, with agreement in fold-change values between methods. The tHR/SIM-in vivo SILAC approach therefore permits the robust analysis of multiple DME in a single protein sample, with clear utility for the assessment of the drug-drug interaction potential of candidate therapeutic compounds. </p

Water-Induced Reordering in Ultrathin Ionic Liquid Films

Water-induced reordering in ultrathin ionic liquid films has been observed using in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. An ultrathin layer of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([C4C1Im][BF4]) was deposited on a rutile TiO2 (110) single crystal and exposed to water vapour at a relative humidity of ~70% in an in situ cell. Water was found to adsorb onto the ionic liquid surface, causing a reordering of the ions at the interface. Water initially remained trapped on the ionic liquid surface as the in situ cell was evacuated. This could have negative implications for supported ionic liquid phase catalysis, where reactants and products move in and out of an ionic liquid containing the catalyst. This insight into the behaviour at the water/ionic liquid interface provides a basis for understanding interfacial behaviour in more complex gas/ionic liquid systems

Individual cognitive stimulation therapy for dementia : a clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness pragmatic, multicentre, randomised controlled trial

Background Group cognitive stimulation therapy programmes can benefit cognition and quality of life for people with dementia. Evidence for home-based, carer-led cognitive stimulation interventions is limited. Objectives To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of carer-delivered individual cognitive stimulation therapy (iCST) for people with dementia and their family carers, compared with treatment as usual (TAU). Design A multicentre, single-blind, randomised controlled trial assessing clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. Assessments were at baseline, 13 weeks and 26 weeks (primary end point). Setting Participants were recruited through Memory Clinics and Community Mental Health Teams for older people. Participants A total of 356 caregiving dyads were recruited and 273 completed the trial. Intervention iCST consisted of structured cognitive stimulation sessions for people with dementia, completed up to three times weekly over 25 weeks. Family carers were supported to deliver the sessions at home. Main outcome measures Primary outcomes for the person with dementia were cognition and quality of life. Secondary outcomes included behavioural and psychological symptoms, activities of daily living, depressive symptoms and relationship quality. The primary outcome for the family carers was mental/physical health (Short Form questionnaire-12 items). Health-related quality of life (European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions), mood symptoms, resilience and relationship quality comprised the secondary outcomes. Costs were estimated from health and social care and societal perspectives. Results There were no differences in any of the primary outcomes for people with dementia between intervention and TAU [cognition: mean difference –0.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) –2.00 to 0.90; p-value = 0.45; self-reported quality of life: mean difference –0.02, 95% CI –1.22 to 0.82; p-value = 0.97 at the 6-month follow-up]. iCST did not improve mental/physical health for carers. People with dementia in the iCST group experienced better relationship quality with their carer, but there was no evidence that iCST improved their activities of daily living, depression or behavioural and psychological symptoms. iCST seemed to improve health-related quality of life for carers but did not benefit carers’ resilience or their relationship quality with their relative. Carers conducting more sessions had fewer depressive symptoms. Qualitative data suggested that people with dementia and their carers experienced better communication owing to iCST. Adjusted mean costs were not significantly different between the groups. From the societal perspective, both health gains and cost savings were observed. Conclusions iCST did not improve cognition or quality of life for people with dementia, or carers’ physical and mental health. Costs of the intervention were offset by some reductions in social care and other services. Although there was some evidence of improvement in terms of the caregiving relationship and carers’ health-related quality of life, iCST does not appear to deliver clinical benefits for cognition and quality of life for people with dementia. Most people received fewer than the recommended number of iCST sessions. Further research is needed to ascertain the clinical effectiveness of carer-led cognitive stimulation interventions for people with dementia

Methods for assessment of patient adherence to removable orthoses used after surgery or trauma to the appendicular skeleton:a systematic review

Background:&nbsp;Patient adherence to treatment is a key determinant of outcome for healthcare interventions. Whilst non-adherence has been well evidenced in settings such as drug therapy, information regarding patient adherence to orthoses, particularly in the acute setting, is lacking. The aim of this systematic review was to identify, summarise, and critically appraise reported methods for assessing adherence to removable orthoses in adults following acute injury or surgery. Methods:&nbsp;Comprehensive searches of the Ovid versions of MEDLINE, Embase, AMED, CINAHL, Central, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and SPORTDiscus identified complete papers published in English between 1990 and September 2018 reporting measurement of adherence to orthoses in adults following surgery or trauma to the appendicular skeleton. Only primary studies with reference to adherence in the title/abstract were included to maintain the focus of the review. Data extraction included study design, sample size, study population, orthosis studied, and instructions for use. Details of methods for assessing adherence were extracted, including instrument/method used, frequency of completion, number of items (if applicable), and score (if any) used to evaluate adherence overall. Validity and reliability of identified methods were assessed together with any conclusions drawn between adherence and outcomes in the study. Results:&nbsp;Seventeen papers (5 randomised trials, 10 cohort studies, and 2 case series) were included covering upper (n&nbsp;=&thinsp;13) and lower (n&nbsp;=&thinsp;4) limb conditions. A variety of methods for assessing adherence were identified, including questionnaires (n&nbsp;=&thinsp;10) with single (n&nbsp;=&thinsp;3) or multiple items (n&nbsp;=&thinsp;7), home diaries (n&nbsp;=&thinsp;4), and discussions with the patient (n&nbsp;=&thinsp;3). There was no consistency in the target behaviour assessed or in the timing or frequency of assessment or the scoring systems used. None of the measures was validated for use in the target population. Conclusions:&nbsp;Measurement and reporting of adherence to orthosis use is currently inconsistent. Further research is required to develop a measurement tool that provides a rigorous and reproducible assessment of adherence in this acute population. Trial registration:&nbsp;PROSPERO:&nbsp;CRD42016048462. Registered on 17/10/2016.</p